Conventional upright type vacuum cleaners include a base which moves on a surface to be cleaned and has a suction port at a lower part, and a handle assembly rotatably connected to the base. The handle assembly includes a vacuum generator, a dust collecting device, and a handle. Also, the upright type vacuum cleaner usually includes a locking device which lessens a user's fatigue cause by the weight of the handle assembly during operation of the vacuum cleaner. When the vacuum cleaner is not operating, the locking device prevents the handle assembly from inadvertently rotating due to its weight and maintains the vacuum cleaner in a fixed position. The locking device selectively restrains the relative rotation of the handle assembly and the base when the handle assembly is at a predetermined angle with respect to the base.
Referring to FIG. 1, a locking device of the conventional upright type vacuum cleaner 100 includes a locking protrusion 140, a pedal protrusion 154, and a pedal member 150.
The locking protrusion 140 is formed at the handle assembly 110 and disposed adjacent to a hinge shaft 115 which is rotatably connected the base 130. As seen in FIG. 1, the locking protrusion 140 is defined by an upper wall of a locking recess 141 formed in a side of the handle assembly 110.
The pedal member 150 is pivotably disposed at the base 130 so as to pivot on a rotary shaft 152 and has the pedal protrusion 154 extending from a side thereof. The pedal protrusion 154 engages and disengages the locking recess 141 as the pedal member 150 rotates. That is, the pedal protrusion 154 is selectively locked with the locking protrusion 140. An elastic body 155 is also provided to allow the elastic pivot of the pedal member 150.
A problem with the conventional vacuum cleaner 100 having the pedal member 150 disposed at the base 130 is that the width A of a rear of the base 130 is very broad. Also, operation of the vacuum cleaner is inconvenient, particularly when manipulating the pedal member 150, since the pedal member 150 is disposed at the side of the base 130 instead of at the rear of the base 130 where the feet of the user are usually located.